Celebrating the Circle of Life: Coming back to Balance and Harmony

Celebrating the Circle of Life: Coming back to Balance and Harmony: A guide to emotional health in pregnancy and early motherhood for Aboriginal women and their families is a guide developed by Perinatal Services BC and the BC Reproductive Mental Health Program, a program of BC Mental Health & Addiction Services.

The guide has seven parts:

• Introduction

• Part 1 – Basic Aboriginal Teachings

• Part 2 – Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the first year of being a parent

• Part 3 – Feelings during Pregnancy and After the Birth

• Part 4 – Coming back to Balance and Harmony

• Part 5 – For Partners, Family and Friends

• Part 6 – Resources

Alcohol use is discussed throughout the guide, including in the sections about pregnancy and the first year of being a mother.

The guide was developed for:

• Aboriginal Women – This guide was created to help soon-to-be and new mothers who are worried about their mood and/or experiencing depression.  The guide is focused on emotional health and includes information on what to expect and how to cope with all of the changes that come with pregnancy and a new baby.

• Health Care Providers – This guide can also be used by healthcare providers who work with Aboriginal women and their families in the Perinatal period, especially those who may be experiencing baby blues or depression.

• Partners, Families & Friends – Part five is written for partners, families and friends and includes information on how to support a woman during pregnancy, childbirth and the early months of being a parent.

The guide can be downloaded from the Perinatal Services BC website.